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Lesson 10 of 10

Help and emergencies in Telugu

The words you hope to never need. Play the ten Telugu words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.

Vijayawada railway station in Andhra Pradesh, India
Help and emergencies
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
MyVijayawada, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

All 10 Telugu phrases in this lesson

సహాయం చేయండి!sa-HAA-yam chay-YAN-di
Help!

Call this loudly in an emergency. Telugu bystanders respond quickly to distress. You can also shout "bachao" (బచావో), the Hindi word, which is also widely understood in Hyderabad.

డాక్టర్ ని పిలవండిDAAK-tar ni pi-la-VAN-di
Call a doctor

Hyderabad has excellent private hospitals including Apollo and KIMS. In an emergency, most hotel staff will call for help if you show distress.

పోలీసుpo-LEE-su
Police

The emergency number in India is 100 for police and 112 for a general emergency line. Hyderabad Police also has a women's helpline at 1091.

మందుల షాప్MAN-du-la SHAAP
Pharmacy

Pharmacies are called "medical stores" or "medical shop" across South India. They are plentiful and open late. Most common medicines are available over the counter.

ఆసుపత్రిaa-su-PAT-ri
Hospital

Government hospitals are free but crowded. Private hospitals like Apollo Hyderabad offer high-quality care. Carry your travel insurance card.

నాకు దారి తెలియడం లేదుNAA-ku DAA-ri te-li-YA-dam LAY-du
I'm lost

Literally "I do not know the way." Show your phone with the map and say this. Most people will stop to help, especially if they see a confused foreigner.

నాకు బాగా లేదుNAA-ku BAA-gaa LAY-du
I don't feel well

Simple and clear. Say it to hotel staff, a fellow passenger, or a shopkeeper. Follow up with "daktor kaavali" (డాక్టర్ కావాలి, I need a doctor) if necessary.

దొంగలు దొంగిలించారుDON-ga-lu don-gi-LIN-chaa-ru
It was stolen

For reporting theft to police or hotel staff. You can also say "naa [item] dochukunnaru" (నా [item] దొచుకున్నారు) which is more colloquial for "they stole my [item]."

ఇది అత్యవసరంI-di at-ya-va-SA-ram
It's an emergency

The emergency number in India is 112.

నన్ను ఒంటరిగా వదిలేయండిNAN-nu ON-ta-ri-gaa va-di-LAE-yan-di
Leave me alone

Literally "leave me alone".

Where Telugu is spoken